Tubular structure



1. L. susslvlAN,l

TUBULAR STRUCTURE.

APPllcATloN FILED MAY21, 1921.

W f 7 NE 33 y mlm/Tol? f JUL/0.5 L. vii/ww 7g du j UNiTED STA-rs PATENT OFFICE.

JULI'US L. sUssMAN, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

TUBULAR STRUCTURE.

' Application tiled May 21,

,vide a novel arrangemlent whereby :such

structures may be efficiently built-up. Other more specific objects of the invention will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will'be pointed vout in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an example of my inventionwithout defining its limits, Figure 1 is an elevation of the head ofa metallic bedstead constructed according to the invention, with parts broken away; Figure 2 is a section thereof on the line 2 2 ofF ig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a fillerl forming part of the invention, and Figs. 5,6 and 7 are sectional views illustrating other forms of the invention.

For the purposes of illustration and description, I have chosen a bedstead to show the invention, it being understood that this is not vin any sense to be construed as' delning the limits of the invention and that the bedstead is to be considereU` as'. representative of structures in which ,-.indred tubular members may be employed.

As shown in the drawings, main members or tubes 10'of any suitable cross-sectional form and of the desired dimensions are formed with lengthwise extending grooves 11, preferably undercut as indicated at 12,

and provided with outwardly conver ing walls 13, as shownin Figs. 2 and 3. uxi'liary tubes 14 have their ends. extending into said grooves 11, the parts being so proportioned that the tubes 14 will frictionally fit 'at least the opposite edges o f said grooves and thus be fixed against unintentionaly withdrawal from lsaid grooves; if desired, any type of mechanical fastening devices may be utilized as an additionalvmeans for fastening the auxiliary tubes in 4place or as a substitute for the frictional contact. The

auxiliary tubes 14 are fixed in spaced'rela-,y

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented llg. 1 5,

1921. serial No. 471,354.

Ition to each other and lagainst movement lengthwise of said grooves 11 by means of fillers or spacers 15; the latter are construct- J ed of sheet metal of a shape corresponding to the shape of the grooves '11 and are provided with of-sets 16 `arranged to fit into the undercut portions 12 of the grooves 11. l

' rIhe fillers 15, because of their construction, have an inherent resiliency which tends to spread the off-sets 16 apart and which serves to snap the same into 'said undercut portions 12 and to maintain them therein,

the co-ope'ration of the 4.transverse shoulders a and 'b of the undercut portions 12 and the off-sets 16 respectively.' preventing unintentional removal of the fillers 15 from thek grooves 11; the shoulders 'a and?)A are preferably inclined with respect to the contiguous portions of the respectiveelements in order to lock the same against unintentional separation in' an inward direction corresponding to a compression of the olf-sets 16 toward each other. The fillers 15 are constructed to lit lbetween and engage adjacent auxiliary tubes 14, the terminal llers engagingat the outer ends the elementwith which the main tubes 10 are connected, these clements,'in-the example shown, being illustrated as the uprights 17 of the head-piece of a bed; the lillers 15 are furthermore preferably, though not necessarily, so dimensioned as to set flush with and carry out the ,Surface contour of the main tubes 10, whatever this may be, the outer surface of the fillers in such case lying flush with the contiguois surface or surfaces of said main tubes, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. In some vcases, however,- it may be desirable to con` struct and arrange the fillers as shown in Fig. 6 in which, instead of lying Hush with thel contiguous surface of 4main tubes 10, they overlap the same and thus, in addition to spacing the tubes 14 apart, serve also to completely conceal the presence `of the grooves 11. In such form the lillers lmay aboutl the auxiliary tubes 14,- as shown in' Fig. 7,; in some cases these tongues 15b may be omitted.

In practice, theends of the auxiliary tubes 14 are fitted into the grooves 11 of the main tubes 10 the positions which they' are to occupy in the particular design being pro-v duced, after which the fillers 15 are inserted or snapped into the rooves 11 between the adjacent auxiliary tu es 14 and between the terminal auxiliary tubes 14 and the 'uprights 17. The main tubes may be fastened to the latter in any convenient many ner, this connection being effected either after the auxiliary tubes have been fixed .in place, as is now the case, or before said auxiliary tubes 14 have been connected with said main tubes; the latter simplifies the construction of the type of tubular struc-v tures in question and has heretofore not been.

possible. When combined.as described the presence of the grooves and the speclal construction of the main tubes is entirely concealed, the surface conformation of saidl main tubes being fully and completel carried out by the fillers 15 which, in ad ition, rigidi fix the auxiliary tubes 14 in the intende positions.

In some cases as, for instance, in certain types of metal bedsteads, particularly those which are constructed to simulate wooden beds,'panels are included in the designs of the head andfoot pieces.- To'provide for such constructions, the fillers 15 may be constructed with recesses '18, as shown in Fig..

5, into which the panels'19, in such case, are

frictionallyfitted. As shown also in Fig. 5, the undercut portions 12 of the grooves Y 11 and the off-sets 16 of the fillers may be constructed in the forml of recesses 12a and projections 16a located respectively on the main tubes and fillers, as' shown, or in relversed relation lwith respect to these eletubes which, because of the accuracy necessary to secure the desired result, is always a troublesome operation, is done away withl and the connection of the auxiliary with the main-tubes and the consequent building up of tubular structures of the type under discussion is reduced to the simplest operation which requires no skilled labor in its performance and thusmaterially reduces the cost of production. The fillers may be conf veniently rolled in suitable sheet'metal to provide reserve stocks and cut' into the' desired lengths, asvrequired.

While the'inventlon 1s particularly adapt- "ed for the construction of 'metal bedsteads operating means on ltending lengthwise thereof, a p

it is equally well adapted for use in the construction of ofiice and other' railings and kindred structures and in such case provides a` construction which is readily handled, fitted and assembled at the place of use. It will be obvious that the physical l characteristics of the main members or tubes 10 and the grooves 11 may be dierent from those illustrated without in any way affectin the inventive idea.

'arious changes in the specific forms shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing' from the spirit of my invention.

llclaim: 1. rlhe combinatio provided with a lengthwise extending groove, a plurality of auxiliary members having the ends extendlng into said oove and means fitted into said groove w ereby said auxiliary members are spaced apart.

2. The combination of a main tube provided with an outwardly open roove extending lengthwise thereof, a p urallty .of auxiliary tubes spaced apart and having their ends fitted into said groove, a filler in said groove between and in enga ement with adjacent auxiliary tubes where y the of a main member..

faoA

latter are fixed in spaced relation and cosaid main tube and filler whereby the latter is fixed inv said groove against unintentional removal therefromj 3. The combination of .a main tube provided with an outwardly open groove exurality. of auxiliary tubesspaced apart and having their endsl fitted into said groove, a sheetmetal filler adapted to fit into said groove between-and in engagement with adjacent auxiliary tubes whereby .the latter are fixed in spaced relation andthe surface contour of the main tube is carried out, said ller h' ving an inherent resiliency tending to press it and (zo-operating means on said main` tube and filler respectively whereby the latter is fixed in said groove against unintentional removal therefrom, said co-operating means being held in operative engagement by the resiliency of said filler. 4. The combination of a main tube provided with an outwardly open oove extending lengthwise thereof and alving oppositely located, undercut portions, a plurality of auxiliary 'tubes s aced a art and having one end friction'al y fitte in said groove, a sheet-metal filler adapted to fit into said grooves between and 1n enga ement with adjacent auxiliary tubes where y the latter are fixed in spaced relation and the surface contour of the main tube is' caragainst the, sides of vsaid groove ried out, and oE-sets on said filler arranged to enter the undercut portions of the groove .combination of a frame rovided with legs main tubes connected with said frame and provided/ with outwardlyopen grooves extending lengthwise thereof, auxiliary tubes spaced apart and having the ends fitted into the grooves of said main tubes and llers itted in said grooves between adjacent auxiliary tubes and between terminal auxiliary tubes and said frame whereby said auxiliary tubes are fixed in position.

6. The combination of a tube having an outwardly open groove extending lengthwise thereof and fillers fitted 1nto said groove to carry out the surface contour of said tube and having their ends spaced apart to b(provide recesses at intervals along said tu 7. The combination of a main member having an outwardly open groove extending lengthwise thereof, and fillers fitted into said groove and having their ends spaced apart to provide yrecesses at intervals along said main member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

J ULIUS L. SUSSMAN. 

